title: Increased serum S-TRAIL level in newly diagnosed stage-IV lung adenocarcinoma but not squamous cell carcinoma is correlated with age and smoking.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in the world. Many factors can protect against or facilitate its development. A TNF family member TRAIL, has a complex physiological role beyond that of merely activating the apoptotic pathway in cancer cells. Vitamin D is converted to its active form locally in the lung, and is also thought to play an important role in lung health. Our goal was to investigate the possible clinical significance of serum sTRAIL and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) levels in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Totals of 18 consecutive adenocarcinoma and 22 squamous cell carcinoma patients with stage-IV non-small cell lung cancer referred to our institute were included in this study. There were 12 men and 6 women, with ages ranging from 38 to 97 (mean 60.5) years with adenocarcinoma, and 20 men and 2 women, with ages ranging from 46 to 80 (mean 65) years with squamous cell carcinoma. Serum levels of sTRAIL and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) were measured in all samples at the time of diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  sTRAIL levels in NSCLC patients were higher than in the control group. Although there was no correlation between patient survival and sTRAIL levels, the highest sTRAIL levels were correlated with age and cigarette smoking in the adenocarcinoma patients. sTRAIL level in healthy individuals were correlated with serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum sTRAIL concentrations were increased in NSCLC patients, and correlated with age and smoking history, but not with overall survival.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey E-mail : atilbisgin@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Aysegul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kargi
authors.forename: Atil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bisgin
authors.forename: Arzu Didem
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Yalcin
authors.forename: Ahmet Bulent
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Kargi
authors.forename: Emel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Saadet
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gumuslu
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; C505653:TNFSF10 protein, human